New Age
by Lord Qwerty
Summary: Welcome to the new age. The world's warfare technology has changed. The emergence of the IS has cause a shift in how things would get done. A once male dominated society now under the boot heel of women. Well at least on paper. A new power has emerged. A New Age is here are you ready?
1. EDP rising

Welcome to the new age.

The world warfare technology has changed.

The emergence of the IS has cause a shift in how things would get done.

A once male dominated society now under the boot heel of women.

Well at least on paper.

Somewhere in the Yucatan Peninsula

June 7, 1890

Walter was not happy. The Doc had dragged him from one end of the continent to the other chasing one hint or another about some relic from a bygone civilization. Though the Doc seemed happy like as of he was close to finding what he was looking for. Damn, it's humid though. It is the jungle, but still with all of this walking boredom sets in fast. All he could do was complain, but still he and the Doc walked on. This job has be odd from the start, first off the US Navy was funding this voyage. Second it has become apparent that what they are looking for is a mass of precious metal unknown to people of the outside world. Thirdly he had never seen this many mosquitoes in one place. The two had just reached a clearing, those damned things buzzing everywhere. The Doc was ready for everything from Mexican bandito to cutting his way into and unexplored jungle, meaning these sad insects could not match this man preparations. Within minutes a small fire was burning as the Doc piled on what could easily be identified by its smell as sage. The swarms ran at the smoke and only a few fools remained. With that done they walked through the now sage air. Walter now had one more thing to whine about as they hiked through the terrain. Then the Doc stopped, Walter walked up next to him and looked in the direction the boss was looking in, and before them a great valley untouched by man for ages. Ruins could be seen poking their heads out of the canopy.

The two had be walking in silence for miles now and in unison the exclaimed a simple word, They both held the ow for a few seconds longer than they had breath. To them, people of the city, this jungle view was more pristine and awe inspiring than any skyline of any city they have been to. A few feet in front of them the earth dived down straight into the valley, it would not be an easy task getting down. Thought when Walter looked at the Doc there was no feeling of worry or fear, but only that of glee and excitement. Next thing Walter saw was a pack being thrown at him, inside being a parachute.

"You're crazy, you know," Walter mumbled to himself as he followed the orders of the Doc and put on the pack. Then after they were firmly harnessed in the Doc took a few steps back and ran. With a leap he jumped of the cliff a floated down to the jungle below them. Walter looked out again at the view and readied himself for the fall. He took five steps away from the edge and with a deep breath took off in a sprint. With that he hurled himself of the cliff and dived for the ground below. The few seconds he was in free fall were enough to take his breath away. A quarter of the way down he spotted the Doc's shoot and opened his own to start gliding his way down. The Doc had landed in a clearing directly below the rock face. Walter hit the ground and landed on his rear, another thing to complain about. After they had packed up both shoots and ate some lunch, even though the sun itself was still rising, they continued onward in the general direction of the ruins that had shown themselves before they had made the jump.

Once again they walked on. The Doc with a machete in one hand and in the other a crudely drawn map of the lands around surveying the land before him. Walter stopped being surprised about the things that the Doc could do, that most likely not the best thing that could have even happened he thought. Walter right now would not be surprised if the good doctor had some past in the military. Actually the funding from the navy would seem more logical then if that was true, but how would that affect the job, or what is the item we are looking for. Walter looked ahead and noticed that the Doc was no longer in sight but a swath of jungle had be opened up by that man's knife. Walter started to jog to catch up with the Doc, but at the end was another clearing, a large one at that, with a ruined building in the middle. Walter smirked and sighed, he walked from the path into the ruin a peaked inside. There was the Doc kneeling next to an idol that was laying on the ground. Walter took a step in and stepped onto a stone slab. It sank into the floor below. Walter jumped back immediately out of fear of being hit by whatever trap lay there. A small mechanical sound could be heard, but no poisoned arrow flew passed him. The good doctor looked a Walter now cowering in the entryway and let out a great laugh. Walter seeing the scenario that he was in joined the Doc in his fit of laughter. After the feeling of a near death had passed and the two were about to contain their giggles they exited the ruin, and marched onward once again deeper into the center were their true objective lays.

It was Walters turn to cut through the jungle, honestly he enjoyed the change of pace. No longer was he in the back left to think about his crazy theories, but was free to let out his energies on the poor plants before him. The Doc began to hum a tune, and Walter started to swing his blade at the tune tempo. This went on for many hours, every so often the tune would change and so would the pace of advancement. Under the canopy when night fell darkness was there, so think in its blanket that even the the torches the Doc held the men could not see more than a few feet ahead of them. Then the good doctor let out a loud yawn, he had stop walking forward, but infact had turn around and with his knife started to cut the foliage around and made a large enough clearing to set up the tent to sleep in. Walter had lost track of time as he continue cutting his way forward that when he hear the Doc cry out for him to come back in was as quiet as a whisper. Walter trekked back and saw the Doc sitting by a small fire cooking a can of what smelled like chill. Doc tossed a piece of bread to Walter as he sat down by the fire. After all the eating was done they went into the tent and fell asleep.

Morning did not come for the two under the trees. All that was there was the same dim light as they had been in since they left the ruins. The torches were the only light they heads and the flickers that they gave off were not enough to properly see. For now the Doc took point slashing his way through the jungle. Walter could only hope this purgatory of a jungle would give way to a heavenly paradise where their objective lies. Walter did the math in his head, he remembered how far the large ruin was from the cliff they jumped from and about how long they walked. With those in mind he guessed they would arrive soon at their destination. But the walking and slash was taking too long. Walter thought he need to get out back into the open soon or else he might go mad, but remembering that it was only his second day out and his first real expedition. Walter then heard a sigh, it was the Doc. He was standing a the newly created threshold to a clearing. This one was much larger than the one before. Walter looked up at the break in the canopy and could see the open sky, it was almost noon. They had finally reached their objective the untouched ruins at the center of the jungle. Walter looked down again to see the Doc climbing up on the ruin. From the cliff he was not see it, but the ruins were a pyramid shaped complex. Walter saw the top of the pyramid and saw a temple on it which the Doc was halfway to.

"Why did he climb up the side when there are stairs?" Walter wonder out loud attracting an unimpressed look from the Doc. Walter saunters over and starts up the the stairs. The two meet at the top, with the Doc having a very disapproving look on his face.

"It's a matter of principle, not efficiency." The Doc stated. Walter leaned up against the temple.

"So what are we here for?"

"An object of wondrous power, or so the relic says."

"Sounds like some fiction book."

"Ah but this one it happen in front of you." The Doc walked into the temple and looked around. "It appears we are not the first, though I think we will make it out alive." Walter walk in and on the opposing side of the room a skeleton with a brown hat and a worn duster on.

"Yes or we won't get paid,". Walter noticed the writing on the wall. "I am going to guess you can read this."

"Huh?" The Doc had a notebook out and and was off in translator heaven. Walter sat down in a corner and pulled his hat down over his head and fell a sleep. Walter awoke to see the Doc writing away in his book. Walter stood up and looked around for another thing for him to do. A sound of glee can from the Doc.

"You're finished?" Walter yawned as he walked up behind the Doc.

"Yes! It's amazing." The Doc could not sit still, "Our objective is nearby."

"The wall told you all that." Walter deadpanned. The Doc looked at him quizzically. Walter yawned once again. With that the Doc laughed.

"Oh were you asleep that entire time, haha, I left to explore and got an idea where the object is. I had just come back to take notes in my book." Doc shuffled around in his bag a pulled out a crystal," From what I can decipher this is the key to unlocking the 'true power' of the temple."

"And... What does that mean?"

"No idea. But this story just keeps getting better." The Doc went over to the wall and looked at the wall. "According to this text, the true power is the temple of the Gods. It can throw lighting and fly like a cloud."

"Ok. What exactly is it?"

"Again no idea." The Doc looked at the wall a bit longer, "Though I think I know where it is." The Doc exited the chamber and went outside. The light was a bit dimmer, but dusk had not set in. Walter followed as they walked to the other side of the ancient complex. On a smaller building a soft glow could be seen escaping from the entrance.

"Yes you might be onto something," Walter watched as the Doc walked in the old temple. The Doc motioned for him to follow. As they entered the building the glow dimmed, to a soft radiant light. The two walked farther in and the weathered stone walls were replaced with a soft, metal. The path way turned into a catwalk suspended high above the ground below. Metal poles holding it into the ceiling. That only was not even the most intriguing item in the room. On the ground below them an object of massive size sat on the floor. It was slightly aged but no visible rust.

"Doc, what is that? It reminds me of a naval cruiser, but that thing is easily over two hundred yards long and does not have a deck." Walter gazed down at this behemoth with excitement and fear. Along the sides of the object, which of a purposes for Walter was a ship, he saw constructs that looked like cannons. They were much bigger than anything he had seen before.

"Well that explains the part about the sailing through the void." The Doc looked around for a way down. On the far side of the catwalk there was a stairwell down to the ground. "Let's go and take a look at it up close." The two finally finished the last few steps on the stairs and enter a room. Many strange mechanism were in the room.

"What are these?" Walter looked around a saw a button. It seemed important, alone away from anything else. He thought it would do no harm to touch it. For being here for so long it was easy to push in. Nothing happened, Walter thought it must have done nothing, but where it was looked special. As he lifted his hand from the button, he felt a slight click and then a small rumble resounded of the walls of the large chamber outside. Then the stairs collapsed and the catwalk fell.

"What did you do Walter?" The Doc looked around for an exit strategy. "Follow me." The two ran out into the chamber with the ship and crossed a short bridge to enter it. They entered it just as the ceiling burst open and water crashed down and started to fill the chamber. Doc and Walter closed the hatch they entered from. The chamber was almost full and the northern wall crumbled revealing a long tunnel. The ship pushed by the water moved through the tunnels like an oversized raft. Some how the duo made it up to a room that, the Doc thought he would call a command room. Viewport on the front of the room allowed them to see outside.

Meanwhile on the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula a group of naval ships sat anchored off the shore. On the command ship of this flotilla a man stood waiting.

"Where is he, he's a day late." The man lit up a cigar and started to smoke it. An hour later a seaman approached him

"Admiral Weir, we have spotted something of the port side, it's massive." A seaman reported in. Weir exhaled a plume of smoke.

"Finally he's here it's about time, damn it." Weir walked out of the bridge and looked off the port side of the deck. "My God!" The Admiral stared at the ship. From the roof of the ship a red flare flew skyward. "Doc what have you pulled out now." The ships from the flotilla went alongside the new behemoth in the water. A hatch on the side of the large ship opened and from there the Doc stood waving a the ships passing by.

"That lunatic he found it the temple of the Gods, their city."

The ship was towed to a secret base hidden within the Bermuda triangle, hidden from prying eyes. The navy used it to research new technologies for combat and armor. New systems were unlocked over time and it's true purpose was revealed to the navy's researchers. The ship was for space travel, they estimated that it would take nearly a half a century to cross the galaxy using the distortion engines that were installed eons ago, it predates every civilization on Earth and has vast stores of knowledge hidden away. They started to restore each system one by one a long and difficult process that would take decades. Around 2005 they successfully restored the ship to its original capacity and christened it The USS Odyssey. It set out for its first stop, code named Omicron-Delphi system.

2028

BBC TV Broadcast

"With the emergence of this new technology Japan has been put on the forefront of technology. Although with the Alaskan Treaty everyone shares in the knowledge. What I find most odd is the Americans avoiding this new tech like the plague. What do you think as an IS pilot for Britain." the anchorwoman asked her guest.

"Well either the American's are too stupid or the have an ace they have not shown to the world yet." She replied. "But then again they are ruled men and we all know how that wor-Click" the TV switched off.

Washington DC USA

"Today I announce to the world and the people of these Untied States that our long running enemy and rival on this world Russian has sign a Treaty with us creating the first ever sense of true peace between our two nation. With the knowledge that both our countries have we both respectfully decline any offers of IS cores. The cultural chance we have seen horrifies us. Men and Women are equal and it does not matter the technologies they have or what works for them. I digress, the US-Russa alliance, by agreement by both sides will be know throughout the world as the Earth Defense Pact. And now ladies and gentleman of the press a present to you the Pact flagship the USS Odyssey!" Behind the podium where the President was speaking a shimmer revealing the ship in all it's glory and power.

IS Academy Japan

Chifuyu Orimura sat. She and the her other coworkers stared dumbfounded at the TV. Chifuyu knows her own strength, but this is more than she could handle. She knew the IS nations would panic at this new Anti IS block that was forming. If the US and Russa go next would be South America and even with the power of the IS no one, but the pact knows what else is hidden from view.


	2. Parker, Daniel Parker

Welcome to the New Age

EDP Secret Training Bunkers

2028

"Yawn. Hello men I am Dr. Archy Taylors and I will be showing you what new toys the EDP has in box."

"First we have the RT-1 Heavy Platform a mobile Artillery Unit. It is managed by a crew of five men and can be sent over any terrain."

"Next is the AS-20, since the main enemy for any Pact nation would be the IS this platform was built for anti-air capabilities."

"Now for the fun stuff. To have infantry directly counter ISes we have the Watcher Armour. With it regenerative qualities this suit will repair itself over time. IS 'small' arms fire should bounce right off. Also it is equipped with a jump jet to provide even more combat options on the field."

"Your primary weapon will be the DP-2 a coil rifle with two functions, one super powered long range option and a mid-range automatic one. It hold 50 rounds per mag, but can shoot any ferrous projectile that you can fit in it."

"To answer all your questions these do come from technology we acquired from the Odyssey's main computer so honestly we just rebuilt and restyled these weapons."

"Doctor?"

"Yes soldier."

"What are the capabilities of the Odyssey since you were on the main voyage?"

"Well it has four bombardment cannons and a main ion cannon. These weapons would devastate any non Pact country, but it is no longer in this system. It has gone to talk with our allies among the stars."

"So conclude orientation for Anti IS team Alpha good luck and Godspeed."

Timeline

2029

EDP rolls out its first Anti-IS team 'Alpha'. South American countries join the Pact. The Pact shuts itself off from the world.

2030

IS academy celebrates it's 10th anniversary. Most IS countries from the ISA or the International Stratos Alliance.

2031

Tensions rise in the Alliance over proper weapons in IS battles (Weapons Standardized).

2032

US start to test out its own mech, prototype keep on lockdown.

2033

Russia annexes parts of Kazakhstan for unknown reasons.

Real reason is due to scientists finding two damaged spacecraft and the best Pact minds are looking them over and refitting them.

2034

US announces a colony on Mars, but do not expect travel there very soon.

2035

No new news.

2036

Pact unveils its newest addition to its arsenal the exo armour Christof.

2037

Ichika is discover to be the only male to be able to use the IS and is shipped of the the all girls school IS Academy.

Late 2037

A young teen was selected to pilot the Cristof and as an act of good faith and global participation is sent to the Academy.

2038

News show in Japan (Translated using Odyssey Translation Technologies)

"The alliance known as the Pact made up of Russia and the Americas now known as the Union have come out of their self imposed isolation with the Chairman of the Pact announcing to the world that they are returning to the world stage and will push for international cooperation. ISA countries breath a sigh of relief as the once closed borders of the Pact are open, loved ones not seen in years have been reunited. What was it like under the Pact rule reports are sketchy at best, but the Pact seems like a modern Utopia." The newswoman finished.

The channel changes

"Now time for men's hour. Sports and entertainment coming your wa-""We interrupt this broadcast to inform your smart ladies out there that tonight will be a two hour special one life behind the rule of man! Tune in."

Changes again

"As a former IS rep. I can say nothing they bring to counter us will work, those men have the head so far up they think they can see daylight."

"Ah and your view Miss Ranen?"

"Pact is more secretive than the old North Korean state and probably have the same bite."

"And what of the male IS pilot."

"What of it one man out of millions I guess it's in the realm of possibilities. Still will just be a footnote in our history just like the Pact.

TV turns off

Chifuyu shook her head. The Pact comes out of hiding to ask for admittance to the school for one of its pilots. Of course she would take that offer never know. The Pact seemed nice and just wanting to be friends of be left alone, but of course the ISA women would not stand for it 'Men in charge' they say 'it is not the dark ages any more.' But she knew better, that ship alone could wipe out everyone and thing from orbit and the IS would not stand a chance. For now she had to make sure her brother made it out of this madness alive. Maybe another boy at the school would good for Ichika at least they would be friends out of a common problem.

(End Translation Program)

Union, US proper, Christof Op HQ

PFC Daniel Parker age 15

"Uof" the boy had just received a punch from on of the best fighters in the platoon. He staggered back to the edge and went on one knee.

"Kid you ok?" This attacker asked.

"You got me good that time, you win." 'Ding, ding' the bell chimed. The kid named Daniel Parker picked himself off the mat and staggered over to the water fountain.

"You we in for 8 seconds longer than you use to."

"Oh hey Sarge, what can I say I take life by the horns."

"What do you think of you upcoming assignment?"

"Going to a school full of women? Every man's dream and nightmare." All present shiver at the thought.

"Don't worry just act tough and it will be fine."

"Act? I am tough. Tougher than some. I get to have the suit!"

"I think they just wanted some kid to have the million dollar suit to make it easy on the insurance."

"Oh haha." The two walked into the big board room. The room showed all assets they had and where the assets were.

"If everything go south at least the cavalry will be there soon."

"Kid I would hope so, but I don't think Tabane Shinonono herself would understand this tech, hell we just cobbled it together for the hell of it to say we have something to match the IS. Did you know that will be the one and only Christof model armour. Everyone likes the Watcher suit better."

"So I am the Union's collective middle finger at the ISA nations."

"You may just live through this after all."

"Well it's a Ten hour flight to Japan better get to the plane." Daniel saluted his CO and walked off to his awaiting plane.

This plane would be the first US plane to touch Japanese soil in almost ten years. To Daniel though it was less exciting he felt he was walking to his own funeral. The Christof was made to mock the IS and nothing else so if he did good it would show the ISA who boss and if he failed, knock on wood, EDP would just trash it and focus on some other avenue to under mind the ISA. The plane was now in low orbit and Daniel could feel the effects as he tightened his belt that anchored him to his seat. The Earth look so peaceful from orbit is awed him everytime he saw it.

A few hours passed and gravity was restored as they reentered the atmosphere over Tokyo Bay. Four IS became its honor guard escort the rest of the way in and landed alongside it on the Tarmac. The ambassadors of Japan and ISA countries stood waiting for their new 'honored' guest from the new world. The door to the plane opened and Daniel stepped out and walked up to the line of people. He reached for his gauntlet a device on his arm that allowed him to comput on the fly.

(Activating Translation Software)

"Hello welcome to Japan." The Japanese ambassador says. "Hope you have a good time here."

"Thank you." Daniel said. "I also bring greetings from inside the Pact. We hope for good relations with the rest of this world." And he performed a slight bow.

"So where is the rumor pilot?" She asked looking up at the plane.

"Standing right before ya ma'am." He does a short hand salute.

"Well to be expected," another ambassador muttered.

"Damn the Pact our social structure is weak enough as it is," some other ambassador said.

"Oh and yes I should tell you the Christof is a one of a kind. It will be the only IS like platform the Union will create. Though I can't speak for Russia." That seemed to relive a few of the ambassador.

"So when will the Pact Chairman visit?" The Japanese one asked.

"After me a team of ambassadors will come and most likely a you'll meet one of the floating islands out in the Pacific Ocean. They are independent of the Pact so we ignore each other most of the time."

"Follow me to the car and I will show you to the school."

A good two hour drive through heavy traffic and a monorail trip to reach the island where the school was.

"Yawn wow the traffic was worse than LA in rush hour. I haven't been in a ground car in over six years." The ambassador who seemed now to be playing tour guide looked at me with a curious expression.

"We travel using either the port system or skycar depending on where we are going nowadays so it was quite nostalgic to be riding a hydrocarbon powered vehicle." She now had a worried look on her face

"Ma'am you should loosen up or you'll get wrinkles at a younger age." She blushes slightly.

"Ambassador." A chilly voice said from behind them. It was Chifuyu. The ambassador tensed up.

"He-e-ll-o Miss Orimura." She stuttered out.

"Sigh. I'm not going to bite you, look the kid is not even scared." Chifuyu continued.

The ambassador regain her senses. "Sorry ma'am you startled me."

"It's ok Maya. You coming back to work here again right?"

"Yes, oh and here is the Pact's pilot uhmm..."

"The names Parker, Daniel Parker."

"Hmm you Japanese is very good even you accent is up to date. Your smarter than you look kid even more than my brother."

"Oh I am not speak Japanese ma'am, but English you just hear it as Japanese due to the Universal Translator I have on my gauntlet here." He taps his forearm and give a tired yawn.

"Pact has some cool gadgets." Chifuyu responded.

"I am tried is there some where I can bunk down for the rest of the day?"

"Yes follow me." They started through the academy's many hallways it was still summer so the new term had not started yet and very few of the students were on the campus. "You will share a room with my brother, Ichika, he is the only man with a IS. Please try to make friends with him."

"Oh I don't see any problem with that." She hands him a small card.

"This will get you into your room. Do not lose it."

"Ok." It glows for a second and disappears.

Chifuyu was dumbfounded by this 'where did it go?' she thought.

"Ok now for my next trick." And it reappeared in his hand.

"Not even going to ask."

"Good cause I can't explain it."

"But can you explain your suit?" She asked as he opened the door.

"Not now. To sleepy."

"My brother will be here in morning you two should get to know each other. I am certain you will become good friends." Click the door to the room shut.

The Next Day

Two boys the only boys in the room sat across each other eating their food making meaningless small talk.

"So you're the only Male IS pilot in the world."

"Yep."

"Well I am Daniel and I happen to be the representative from the Union and the only other man here and I want to be your friend."

"Sounds good."

"Shoot we better get going class or the teacher will have our head."

"Hehe we'll be fine as long as it's not my sister."

"Ichika you notice we are being stared down?" Daniel whispered to Ichika.

"Did you just feel it too?"

"Yeah. This is hell."

"Ok now quiet down now. My name is Maya Yamada and I am the homeroom teacher's aide."

'Oh it's her from when I arrived.' Daniel thought.

"Ok now lets introduce ourselves." And she went down the list and when she came to O for Orimura, he was off elsewhere in his mind. "Ichika? Ichika?"

"Yo Ichika!" Daniel yelled into his friend's ear.

"Huh, what, who died!" Giggles were heard throughout the room.

"It you turn to introduce yourself. I started at A and now we are at O."

"Sorry, I am Ichika Orimura. The one and only IS pilot in the world." He stood up and slowly went back down.

"Now Mr. Parker?"

"Ok I am Daniel Parker from the Union homeland America. I pilot the Christof suit. I come here as an act of good faith between the two major blocs on the planet. The Christof is close to an IS so yeah... thanks for listening." He sat down.

Miss Yamada just finish having everyone introduce themselves when another woman walked in, it was Chifuyu. "How is it going in here?"

"Oh very good."

"Ring, ring" the end of homeroom bell rung and people filed out of their classrooms. Daniel grab Ichika and rendered them invisible to most. They found an empty courtyard and declocked.

"Nice trick teach me some time?"

"I see if I could get you a Union made gauntlet. PDA, translator, and a weak phase engine."

"Any other cool gadgets?"

"I'll let up know when we need it ok adds to the cool factor of it."

"Ichika!" A girl walked up to the two.

"Oh hi Houki Nice to see you again."

"You recognized me!" She was in apparent glee.

"Your hair is the same that's how it remember you." Ichika said. "Oh and this here is Daniel an American."

"No a Unioner or a Pactsman the EDP is under the control of the Chairman and the Parliament. See their are two types of people in the Pact: Feds and Unioner. East and West. Asia and Americas."

"Oh..." Ichika nodded his head

"Sorry, sorry I forgot our culture was isolated from you guy for years so it is not surprising you do not know it."

"So Daniel what was it like in the Union?" Houki asked

"Depends on where you live."

"Your home."

"Raised by soldiers and the on site nurses I am named after the one of the great members of the Odyssey voyage. Daniel Parker, sniper extraordinaire. Took on a camp of Farron and came out alive!"

"Aliens!?" The two Japanese teens asked.

"Yes the Pact has been engaging interstellar foe since 2005."

"So that's why you turned down the IS cores my sister could never figure that one out. You guys just don't need it." Houki stated.

"Oh yeah you're the sister of the inventor of the IS and with all respect to you sister, gave the women of the ISA bigger Egos than most heads of nations."

Ichika laughed at this. "Sorry Houki that is to true. Pre-IS history was my area in middle school. Heck even the Germans have reverted back into their Pre-WWII mentality, trying to out tech everyone."

"Ichika catch!" Daniel tossed Ichika a small watch.

"What is it?"

"It's a prefab of a very very weak phase engine. Just in case. Peace out!" Daniel activated his and started back to class.

"Well Houki um, I uh, heard you won the kendo championship."

"Oh you did where-re did you hear that?"

"The paper."

"Oh oh." 'Ring, ring' the two started to return to their classroom.

"... You Brits have not changed why do you think we rebelled!"

"You stupid man, you have none of you power here!"

"God save the Queen! For the love of God shut up!"

"Men are weak in this world I bet you suit could not hold a candle to mine!"

"Do you have a spaceship? Does Britain explore the stars. No you children do so go home you old maid!"

"Ok! Order in this classroom!" Chifuyu and Maya walk in. They immediately quieted down.

"Uh students we have one more thing left to do." Maya started. "You need to pick the class representative for the interclass tournament in a few weeks."

"I say Ichika!" One said.

"No Daniel." Another said.

The room was filled with Ichikas and Daniels for a few minutes.

"Ladies, ladies calm down. It has to be Ichika because I do not and cannot pilot an IS remember."

"Traitor." Ichika jab at Daniel.

"I got them quite though."

"True."

"I will not stand for this. Men should not be in charge it will make us look weak."

Daniel turned around to look at the Brit. "First off what is your name?"

"I come from the great Alcott family I am Cecilia Alcott. Remember it well weak man!"

"And second just why are you standing?"

"What are you talking about."

"You said you would not stand for it yet you got up on you feet." Half the class including Ichika let out a laugh.

"Fine I challenge you to a fight Mr. Parker! A duel and winner gets to decide the representative."

"Fine by me." He turns to the teachers, "Any problem's. You'll get to see the one and only Christof in action"

Maya shook her head and Chifuyu said," Ok this US-British no hold bar grudge match will take place in a week and objections." Silence across the room. "Ok now we can start the lesson. In 2018..."


	3. The RAT race

Welcome back to the New Age

EDPn: Accessing Earth Defence Pact Main Server

Accessing….

EDPn: Welcome to EDPnet please login

Username: Admiral Ashton Overton

Password: *********

EDPn: Welcome back Commander what would you like to look at?

-Maps

-Personal

-Allies

-ISA Information

Personal

Downloading…

EDPn: Error token not found.

Rerouting to Personal Data

EDPn: Please type in name you wish to look up. (eg: last first rank)

Parker, Daniel PFC

Loading.…..

….

EDPn: Clearance Code Level (1) Need

Confirming please wait….

EDPn: Access granted displaying Data on [Daniel Parker PFC]

Born: Unknown

Age: 14-17 (more known as 15yo)

Parents: Unknown

Homeworld: Earth

Affiliation: Union military

Bio

Found on side of road by two passing guards at base Charlie-Hotel. Raised by men and women onsite. Known as the kid. Officially recruited into service on March 25, 2031 at 11yo for piloting of Christof. Trained by anti-IS team Delta and honorary member of the anti-IS force. Current mission, code named 'School Time'. Objective to 'test the waters and examine culture of IS nations. Location Japan, HQ of IS academy. Secondary objective see how thoughts a super nation government would work in the minds of young ISA citizens.

Status: Deployed

Important information: Pilot of prototype Christof armour

Psych Eval: No problems to report beyond his ability to be a pain.

EDPn: Ending stream

Login you off

Washington DC, Union

Meeting of EDP Commanders

"Commander Wong your report." The Supreme Commander of the Union forces commanded.

"Yes So in the years after EDP isolation two blocks formed within the remaining lands the ISA lead by Japan and the Persian Enclave lead by former Iran-Iraq territories. ISA controls China, Siam, Oceania, Israel, and Europe while the Enclave controls the Middle East, India, and Africa."

"The ISA uses ISs and the Enclave uses what they call strike fighters. Strike fighters almost outmatch our fighters in speed and maneuverability, but most weapons are geared towards fighting IS suits."

"It also seems that a lot of countries in Africa are up for grabs due to heavy ISA-Enclave fighting in Northern Africa. And some have put out feelers our way asking to join most have little in the way of resources but hold a large amount of people."

"Commander Wong what do you think our chances are if we sent forces into Africa and got them to join us?" asked the SCU

"Most would take it as a blessing. The ISA is severely oppressive to men and most heads of state in Africa are still men and are liked by the people. And I think we could hold it if we had orbital support."

"Ok we can re task satellites to the African theater. Besides we are holding the Caldorens at Jupa VI so we do not need to worry about them for now." nodded the SCU

"Sir do we have a go on this African OP?" Wong asked.

"You have the green light and AIS teams Foxtrot and Lima for support."

Commander Wong's Command Satellite

"Commander Wong we are in geosynchronous orbit above South Africa and local government has given us the green light to set up a base in the northern part of the country." a robotic female voice announced.

"Drop five command modules down and have the engineers start building up the firebases" he responded.

"Modules launched. Engineers ported."

"Very good, that's seven countries today an over 40 bases set up."

"Commander most of the northern defence grid is online and ready to repel any attackers."

"You AIs are very useful."

"Trying my best sir."

"That's all I ask for."

"Alert!"

"What is it?"

"The Enclave has launched an assault on Firebase Romeo-Alfa-Tango."

"The rats can deal with them, to hell with it route the AIS team Lima and have them put the fear of the Ancients into them."

"Relaying and routing orders and teams."

Firebase Lima

"Alright Lima suit up we're going in!" The Sergeant barked at his men.

"Who we fightin boss." the Rookie asked.

"The Enclave has launched an attack on Firebase RAT twenty minutes ago. Command has order us to help out our friends." The team suited up into their Watcher MKV armour the EDP's most advanced suit. It completely protected the user and increased the speed, strength, and vitality also. It had four wrist mounted mico manufacturers that allowed them to generate weapons and other tools instantly. Each member of AIS team Lima baring the Rookie had theirs specially modified to their specialty on the field.

First there was the Sergeant who was the teams CQC and has more power to his shields and could use only a shotgun.

Next the Demoman and second in command is the explosives expert and had a teleporter on his back to move into hard point of enemy defences a crack them with a liberal amount of tnt.

Then come the Sniper he has just enough shielding that he does not die in one hit and carries a super-high damage long range rifle.

The stealther or Code named Thief carries a plasma blade. Most of the power of his suit goes to it phase engine allowing him to sneak around undetected downside he has no shield.

They finish running startup protocols for their suits and step into the port chamber.

"Lima you are porting in," the AI's voice sounded off. "five, four, three, two, one, porting!" The team fizzled out.

Firebase RAT

"Boys AIS team Lima is goin' join the party don't let them put us to shame now!" the RAT commander yelled into his radio.

In a flash Lima popped back into the world, no the battlefield. the ran to join the me in the trenches.

"So you Lima." a soldier asked.

"Yeah what's the situation?"

"We are pinned down here and the left flank is crumbling." the soldier stands and fires off a few rounds. "From what we can see from here is that they have an impromptu base set up on the other side of this ridge. Orbit control can't get a clear shot to many civies."

"Ok. Lima our mission is to eliminate all tangos and clear their base. Team sound off!"

"Thief aye."

"Rook aye."

"S aye."

"Demon aye."

"Good comms work. Lets move out."

They jumped of the trench and with supporting fire from the local forces rushed their way across the battlefield. They reached the enemies side and ripped into their lines. With their armour they easily out make the Enclave's infantry wiping out the first wave.

"That was easy." the Rookie commented.

"Boom" the ground next to him exploded in fire and dirt. A column of tanks rushed over to them and engaged them. S built, using the micro manufacturers of his suit, a bunker and the team to shelter in it. The small space barely allowed for movement, but the manage. The bunker was easily demolished by the tanks, but the ruins of it made of good cover. They would pop out every so often a take potshots at the tanks for not real damage.

"These tanks were made for fighting ISes we need something bigger." Sarge said.

"Demon." Thief asked, "do you have any C-12?"

Demon tossed a box over to Thief. "Really you need to ask that."

"Ok activating phase engine now!" Thief transitioned to his second home a pocket dimension where he could now roam freely around the war torn land. He jumped over the rubble and ran out to the surrounding tanks. He placed a charge on each tank cannon and ran back to the ruined bunker. After taking cover he deactivated his stealth system.

"Demon blow those suckers!"

'BOOOOOM!' Each tank lit up in a ball of fire and the supporting troops were blown back. The team jumped from their cover and started to blast the enemy. Once again rushing through wave after wave of enemy men and armour, killing them while dodging their fire.

"This is Commander Wong to Lima do you copy?"

"Sarge here we are on route to objective."

"Negative we wish to send a message to the world. I want you to paint their base so we can hit it from orbit."

"Roger that sir." Sarge looks to his men. "Ok plans changed S uses your target designator on their base when we get there."

"Copy."

"Ok Lima move out." All that stood between them and the base was a now abandoned town. They moved into an alleyway to be ambushed by snipers which S took out with no problems. They dashed out into the main street where the Enclave had just started to place down barricades. The took out the builders quickly, but reinforcements were already down their neck. S was hit and had to duck back into the alley with Thief and the two took potshots from their outcove. Sarge and Rook hid behind the half built wall and took part in the bullet exchange program that the Enclave was hosting. Demon stood out in the open firing barrages of missiles at their attackers.

"One tango left." S announced and the men turned to look at him. A calmly as the man could he raised his hands and when screaming the other way.

"Ok?" Rook commented.

"Thief see that water tower over there?" Sarge asked.

"What about it."

"Take S's TD and see if you can hit their base with it."

"Got it." Thief powered up his stealth system and raced up the tower. He reached the top and looked around for the base."

"Sarge I see it."

"Ok paint it while I sent the coordinates to the Commander."

Commander Wong's Command Satellite.

"Sir we are receiving location data from Lima what do you wish to do?"

"Power up the Jericho ion cannon and glass that base."

"Charging now."

"Fire!" Wong yelled. A beam of white ejected out of the station and streamed into the atmosphere turning the nearby air into a super heated plasma. The beam hit the ground and caused a mile wide shock wave that decimated not only the base, but the surrounding forces as well. After the dust had settled the area where the base had been is now a smouldering pile of glowing ashes.

"Sir, I believe we should never use that weapon for in atmo fighting would you like me to add that to the codex?"

"Yes, but make note in my log its power and see if Command with hand that footage out to the Enclave and the ISA and proof of our power."

"Battle over, enemy in full withdrawal. Time log 1 hour and 47 minutes."

"Ok have our boys rebuild and strengthen the defences and send Lima home"

"Aye Commander."

Japan IS Academy

The TV is on in the cafeteria and lunch is in full swing.

"Breaking news," The anchorwoman said. "Enclave forces have be decimated in a battle the Pact in the Congo. The Pact has released footage of their victory and has sent to to countries around the world. From what we see here a weapon known as Jericho was used and obliterated the Enclave foreword base. Also more troops have been sent into Libya by European Powers, but the Enclave has shifted its focus to retaining it's remaining territories."

As the footage of the attack streamed on the TV a gasp was heard throughout the room.

"Hey Daniel?" Houki asked, "Do you actually have that kind of weapon!?" She had a nervous quiver in her voice.

"Yes." Daniel started in a nonchalant tone. "But that weapon was made for anti-ship and was not supposed to be used for in atmo fighting. I guess who ever the commander was got really pissed by being attacked and wanted to send a message or the troops were bored or even worse the SCU asked for it to be done." Houki and Ichika's faces were stunned by this news.

"Hey Alcott." Daniel shouted across the room. "You're still up to fighting right."

"Of cour-course I am." She stuttered back.

"Damn it's not my fight." he said under his breath.

"Why not?" Houki asked.

"It's would me more Ichika's fight than mine it would have a bigger impact on her it a man from the ISA fought her and would have a bigger meaning for the world a large."

"And that would be." Ichika asked.

"Tech is not everything. There is a thing back in the Union we do not use tech or implants in public and everyone feels like they are on the same level with each other."

"What if you have a call on your phone?"

"Surprisingly we uses telegrams and have people port around the Union delivering messages and even full on conversations. People talk face to face more."

"Ichika you should fight not me."

"I'll think about it."


	4. Evolution

Tides are turning in the new age.

Japan IS Academy

It has been nearly three days since the Enclave's attack on the EDP and the school was still in a uproar over it. Some looked at Daniel with adoration believing in the power of the Union while others looked at him as if he was scum to be scraped off there feet and thrown away. To him it really did not matter. He had spent most of those days helping Ichika learn the finer points of EDP gaming. Well until Ichika's friend came and dragged him off to go sword fight or whatever. Every time he crossed by Cecilia he could she a shiver go up her spine. But right now was dinner and he and Ichika sat in their room discussing their most recent match.

"Man you smoked me. What you have been playing this for two days what's your secret?" Daniel asked.

"I thought you just mashed buttons until the other died."

"Well... Ok I can never show my face at the base if that gets out." The two teens laughed.

"Ok now onto a serious note."

"Oh no the world is coming to an end Daniel being serious." A girls voice was heard saying. Houki had quietly entered without the boys noticing

"Oh Houki only if you knew. But back on topic what do you think of my offer?"

"To fight instead of you?" Ichika checked.

"Yes, you would have a larger impact on her than me. You remember it does not matter you gender only that it matters who has the biggest stick. That Brit needs to learn this."

"And you think Ichika can do it." Houki nearly yelled.

"Kind of..."

"Just admit you do not want to fight her." Ichika deadpanned. Houki gave the two a quizzical look.

"Shhh." Daniel said. "I still need to be seen as powerful not weak."

Ichika facepalms. "Fine fine. I am suppose to get my IS on the same day. Another thing can I have another phase engine?"

"You used up the one I gave you!?"

"What you haven't been mobbed by girls during your time here?"

"Ok now I am jealous the just stare me down." Daniel sighed. "Anyways outside of our class the only girl to talk to me is Houki and she's with you!"

Houki randomly broke out into a blush.

"Oh you know I did not mean I that way." Daniel sighed once again.

"Word it better." She responded.

"Translator does not care about implied meaning." Daniel said.

"Oh yeah that is how you were able to speak Spanish to that girl." Ichika gave a surprised look.

"No I actually know that, I turned my translator off to practice speaking it. I normally use the translator to talk to everyone."

"Hey Houki let's go get some dinner." Ichika said starting to the door. "What wrong you don't want to come?"

She shot up and ran next to him. "Noo-o-o I do." The two left to the cafeteria. Daniel now alone in the room powers up his computer. He starts to watch a movie.

The Academy

The day of the match

Today was the day Daniel entered the classroom and was greeted with looks of sorrow.

"Daniel you do not have to fight you can just ask for forgiveness."

"Yeah you to nice to be hurt."

"Ladies, ladies. Have you not heard the news Ichika is taking my place." He said. "He offered to do it."

"Ho ho ho! You're so weak you need other weaklings to fight for you. Where's you supposed man's pride." A British voice approached.

"Naw I did not feel like fightin you, but mista Ichika wants a go." Ichika walks in. "Ain't dat right."

"What am I agreeing to now Daniel?" Ichika sighs.

"The fight."

"Oh yes my IS came in last night and I got to test it out its really cool."

"But you're pitiful skill can't compare to a representative candidate."

"Oh but Ichika's been practicing." Daniel said.

"Huh when?"

"What have we been doing every night?" The girls gasped at this probably think of something else.

"You mean all the video games. Then I love your training over my sister's or Houki's."

"Ok you idiots get into your seats. Just because a match is taking place later does not mean you have the right to be lazy. Parker, Alcott you read for the match or would one of you like to surrender?"

"Well ma'am." Daniel Parker the pilot of the Christof started. "Christof will not be participating another person wants a piece of the action."

"Let me guess, Ichika." She said half annoyed.

"Yes sis."

"I am your teacher!"

"Yes ma'am."

"Fine I'll allow this. But enough distractions everyone open your computers to the file marked..."

"Ok Ichika are you ready?" Daniel asked.

"Yes. I was going to be a little less enthusiastic about this fight, but she did not have to be rude about Japan, heck our people made the IS."

"It's ok that was one of the reason we separated from the world was because of this stupid man vs woman thing."

"I may just move."

"I don't think your people will let the only male IS pilot go so easily," Daniel laughed. The door to the room opened and in walked their two teachers and Houki.

"Ichika." Chifuyu said sternly causing the boy to jump. "Is your unit ready?"

"Yes Daniel helped put the finishing touches onto the IS."

"Yes with my mastermind plan their is no way this machine will lose... Unless it is operator error." Daniel joked. Houki looked at, no more stared down Ichika.

"Ah Houki? What's up?" He asked.

"Oh nothing just you old friend and you did not ask her to help."

"Ichika you better get going or else she may think up chickened out." Daniel said trying to usher his friend out.

"Ok launching Byakushiki!" Ichika and his IS fly screaming out of the chamber. He exited the tunnel at a fast pace. In the arena Cecilia waited with what Byakushiki analyzers called Blue Tears.

"Oh I am surprised you could make it you go for nothing."

"Ok you two hush up get ready to fight in three, two, one, fight!" Chifuyu announced

Blue Tears let of a barrage of shots and Ichika dodged with ease. She chased him around the field take shots at him. Ichika would use the boosters on his IS to get closer faster. He would try to hit her but she would lay the pressure onto him.

"Ichika is better that I though." Chifuyu said aloud.

"Did you notice he is treating it like a game?" Daniel asked.

"So that's what I was seeing." Just then Ichika took a direct hit from twin missiles.

"Ow. That had to hurt." Daniel commented.

Then Ichika's IS started to glow and the armour morphed.

"What is it evolving?" Daniel asked.

"No it shifting to the first stage. It takes the data of the person and his skills and supports them."

"Uh does it assimilate things too?"

"I guess it could." Ichika's IS disappeared. It reappeared behind Blue Tears and before she could react he slashed her with his sword. He then vanished again. Now he was on the ground and his sword was glowing.

"What was that!?" Cecilia yelled.

"I have no idea, but I like it." Ichika disappeared again. He reappeared half way and his suit deactivated and he fell.

"Oh no." Daniel slapped his face. "God, it combined with the phase module and now it is using Union tech, but your stuff can't handle the power requirements. So it deactivated his shields to power the sheath like it should have, but your IS shut down when the shields go off."

"So what are you saying?"

"You guys need better batteries."

"Hmmm. Daniel it's no real problem that module is a public version anyways and we were going to give it to them."

"Ok commander I just was letting you know."

"Ok son just call it you need me." Daniel shut off his communicator. He slouched back into the chair in the cafeteria. In front of him a cooling plate of carne asada sat begging to be ate. The days just got more stressful. 'Man these girls have way too much energy, but they are on pair with the girls from Mazatlan.'

"Daniel!" Ichika said as he walked over to the pilot. "What did you want to give me?" Daniel tossed a small device to Ichika.

"That is a battery put it next to your inactive IS and it should be absorbed and integrated." Daniel explained. He started to eat a piece of the meat

"Ok thanks."

"Is will make it so you phase engine runs off the battery instead of the main core. It only has a ten minute charge so use it either at the beginning to curb stomp them, or at the end as a coup de gras." Daniel finish up the meat and stood up next to his friend. "So where is you entourage?"

"Those girls? I was able to lose them in the bathrooms. I went out the window." Ichika and Daniel shared a laugh.

"ICHIKA! There you are!" Houki yelled across the room. Cecilia was in tow also yelling obscenities at the poor boy. Daniel switch of his translator and said to Cecilia.

"Oi Islander lay off the poor kid."

Cecilia switched to English a started a tirade on the history of America and Britain. She went on and on about the nobility of the English and the poor english of the Americans. Houki walked up to Ichika and gave him a pout that if she could not kill him in a blink of an eye may have been cute.

Daniel switching back on his translator to assist his brother in arms against the female onslaught. "Ok you two we are in public, if you want to castrate or marry this fine example of a man let's do it in private." That got the girls to hush up. Now both of them had fever red faces.

"We just want to make sure Ichika is ok." They said in unison. Did they practice that line?

"Ok Houki I understand being a childhood friend, but the blonde man hater of there I do not."

"How could you, you America rabble. Ichika is unlike any other man out there."

"And you want him to yourself?" Daniel asked curiously. 'Now I am surprised she has not popped a capillary her face is so red.' "You know what I am tried, Ichika you're on your own 'yawn' see you back at the room."

"Tratoir." Ichika yelled a the girls resumed chasing him.

Later that Night

"Did you know about it?" Ichika asked as he closed the door.

"I know about a lot of thing can you get more specific?" A tried Daniel asked from under the covers of his bed.

"My 'promotion'"

"Oh yeah that party. Was it any good?"

"It was ok, but now I am class representative."

"The Brits idea not mine."

"I thought as much." Ichika gave an exasperated sigh and flopped onto his bed.


	5. Christof

'Snap! Hiss!' The bottle opened with a refreshing sound. Daniel picked it up off the counter and walked out of his dorm room. They hallway was empty and quiet allowing him to go over his thoughts.

'I have been here for a solid three weeks and I am beat.' He thought. 'This place is hell, they guy back on base would be laughing at me right now if they saw me.'

He stepped out the entrance of the building into the cool sea air. With each breath taking in the salty air. He takes a sip of his soda and continues to walk. The sun sets as he makes it to the tram station.

'A few more months and I can go home for a while, at least I won't get transferred to the African front.'

He watches as the last tram leaves a moment passes as he fiddles with the now empty bottle. He stuck here on an Island of crazy women and his only way off just shut down for the night.

'I could use the Christof, but I would be shot down by their AA.'

A shadow appears walking from the station it's a girl, but not one he has seen before. She is of Asian descent most likely Chinese. She looks wildly around with a lost expression on her face.

"Miss do you need some help?" he politely asks.

"Uh yes do you know where the school main office is?" She asked.

"Yes would you like me to lead you there."

"I would not want to disturb you when you are working."

"No I have time." 'Wait does she think I work here, eh I play along with it.' he thought.

"Your Chinese is pretty good for a European."

'Huh the translator working well.' "Well my parents lived in China for a few years on business." Daniel is trying desperately to hold back a grin. "Well here you are the office have a nice day." Daniel walked off back to his dorm. 'Darn I did not get her name. Oh well."

"Wait let me get this straight, you helped a girl who thought you were a worker and you convinced her you know Chinese. Man I love you." Ichika said a little too loudly in the cafeteria. Trays and silverware could be heard dropping on the ground, and some girls had a look of shock on their face. "What did I say?" Ichika whispers to Daniel.

"I can understand other languages, but the mind of a girl is too complex to decipher, but I believe they think that you said you romantically love me." Daniel deadpanned.

"Oh…" The two broke out into an insane fit of laughter. With that the girls went about their day normally again knowing they still have a chance.

"You two, I heard that from the food line" Houki sighed as she sat down. "Daniel you are a bad influence on Ichika."

"Oh contrary to popular belief that little bit of golden wording is all just part of your basic Ichika kit." Daniel snickered. He quickly finished his meal. "We had better get to class before the bell rings." Daniel the vanished.

"Why does he always do that and then he complains about not getting swarmed by girls." Ichika sighed as he got up with his empty tray of food. Houki having a smaller meal the the two boys also just finished.

"Ichika I'll walk with you to class to keep you from getting swarmed." She said.

"I don't see how, but fine lets go and make sure that Daniel and Cecilia don't start again."

"Ah the prodigal child returns." Cecilia said as Daniel still invisible opened the door to the classroom. He knowing his cover was blown reverts back to visible light.

"Good morning to you too mother." Daniel deviously grins.

"Please no more fighting you two this routine has been going on for three whole weeks!" one of their classmates grumble. "And I thought you were with Ichika, Daniel."

"No but Mr. and Mrs. Orimura were right behind me."

"You mean Houki and Ichika are…" One of the girls fainted.

"Too easy."

"Daniel what did you do to her?" Ichika asks when he walks in seeing a girl unconscious on the floor.

"Nothing mum is the word."

Just then a girl bursted through the door. "I, Lingyin Huang, of class 1-3 have come to challenge the representative of this class! I want you on notice!"

"Rin, that motif really does not fit you." Ichika said instantly deflating her.

"Aww and I spent all of this morning figuring out this introduction."

"Ichika," Houki said with venom dripping from her words. "Who is this?"

Ichika totally missing Houki's emotions said. "Oh this is my second childhood friend. I meet her after you moved away."

"Ah you were the girl I help last night." Daniel remembered.

"You tricked Rin! That just makes the story better!" Ichika and Daniel share a laugh.

"You, you, you're the kid from the EDP!" Rin's voice wobbled.

"The one and only."

"I-I am just going to leave now."

"Good to hear Ms Huang!" a gruff feminine voice said from behind Rin. The room went dead and not even Daniel dared to crack a joke. Rin turned around and saw Chifuyu Orimura and let out a quiet squeak and ran out of the room. "Ok play times over, today we get use of the field and we are going to get started on practical IS training."

"Ichika I am glad we got that head start to the locker room." Daniel said as they stepped out onto the training grounds. "Reminds me of the Colorado Training Grounds. Nice and wide open."

Girls had begun pouring out of the locker rooms dressed up in the specially made IS suits. The two boys on the other hand wore basic exercise clothes, but Daniel's had a more military flare while Ichika's was more for sports.

"Should we have worn our IS suits as well?" Ichika asked.

"No I would not sense I do not have an IS, but since yours is half IS half I have no idea you can wear the same things I can which is just about anything. We had better line up though."

They got into line with the other groups. Most stood at ease while the ones with military training namely Daniel and Cecilia were at attention. Chifuyu went to the front of the group and looked down the rows like they were ranks ready for inspection.

"Ok I want Cecilia and Daniel to come to the front. The Christof while not being an IS had the same abilities of one. Ok you two active your armours." She ordered.

Cecilia closed her eyes and the frame Blue Tears formed around her. Her rifle ready in one hand. Daniel was a little leary he had not activated his frame in a long time. Pressing a button on his wrist a light enveloped him and the Christof took shape. It fully armoured his body and had two orbs in orb of him. It was a chrome like color and had a rifle on his back and two holsters on his side with machine pistols in them.

"Hmm so that is what it looks like." Chifuyu said. "Ok fly you two."

The Blue Tear floated up and stayed waiting for Daniel. Daniel blinked at a green light inside of his helmet and the orbs span faster. Like a helicopter he took off. One thing his frame did not have was true flight so he made due with the anti gravity thrusters meant for quick evasion.

"Can you hear me?" Cecilia asked over a private channel.

"Yep what do you need."

"Nice trick with your boosters. You are good with improvisation."

"Hehe you noticed."

"Ok you two come on down and stop right before you hit the ground." Chifuyu yelled.

"Ladies first." Daniel said as Cecilia sped down and stopped before she hit the ground. Daniel then cut his thrusters and started to plummet downward. A gasp could be heard from the girls that did not know Daniel very well. As he neared the ground he reactivated his boosters and gently touched the ground deactivating the Christof as it landed.

"Ok now you will divide into groups and come up with an explanation on how to control the flight of your suit." Chifuyu said. "After that return to the room and prepare for lunch."


	6. Haggis

_Always more to write. I do like the kind words that I get from the reviewers. If anything does not make sense please tell me_

* * *

"Yo Brit get over here." Daniel yelled across the room. Cecilia had just opened the door to the room to see that only a few people were in there. Daniel was standing in the back of the classroom. Cecilia calmly walked over to him.

"Yes what?" she said with an irritated tone.

"I was wondering if you could get any nicknacks from England." He said in a semi-formal tone.

"Huh? Why, I thought you did not like us." she said.

"Na, I actually like you, but the reason I poked fun at you was because of your ego." Cecilia started to blush. "But beyond that no one in the Union has really been outside its borders in over ten years and memorabilia from the world a large is kind of rare homeside, especially in South America." He explained.

"I may be able to get you some stuff, but no promises." Cecilia started to go over the stuff she could get her hands on in her head.

"Just no haggis please."

"Darn."

'Smack!' the door to the classroom opened with a limping Ichika with one arm over Houki entering. She dropped him off on his desk and went to her place next to him.

"What happened to him?" one of the girls said.

"I am dead…" Ichika moaned.

"Houki I do not mind what you two do in your spare time, but at least make him presentable for class. Look at him you broke him." Daniel went up to his friend and tried to shake him awake. "I leave you to alone for one hour and look." A group of their classmates had just entered when Daniel started to speak and completely took in what he was saying.

"He should have dodged that hit though, and Daniel what have I told you about you word and how girls take them." Houki's face was redder than the blood in her veins

"I said nothing that should have inspired that kind of though I fact I believe," he raised his voice, " everyone in that class know that before class each day you two spar in the dojo." Most of the girls hit their heads and now feel like idiot that they forgot something that simple. "I mean damn, you two talk about the sparing before the local spartan shows up."

"Mr. Parker. I believe in English there is a saying how did it go, speak of the devil and he shall comer." a cool, but angry voice put it.

"Ms Orimura I would never say something that mean about Ms Yamada." The sub-teacher 'epped' at the mention of her name.

"Prop up the fool and take a seat." Chifuyu said to the boy. Daniel walked over to his friend and had it so his hazy eyes could easily see the board and took a seat.

"So do I have to fight?" Ichika asked.

"Yes it the class league matches and you are our class rep so of course you do." Houki responded.

"I am still weak from practice."

"If I remember correctly the IS should be able to boost up your energy to help you fight and anyways that stealth system should make you unmatched." Daniel noted. "Along with your Yuki-whatever sword you can rack up the KOs."

"I guess if I get into a bind I'll use the stealth."

"You had better get out their before the get mad." With that Ichika launched into the arena.

The arena was a wide open field about two football fields wide and one field long. Wide enough for some action small enough to contain the power. A blue shield glistened in the sky over it protecting the skies from stray shots.

"First round class 1-1 vs class 1-2." The announcer who turns out to be Ms Yamada says.

"So right off the bat I get to fight you my old friend." Rin yells.

"May the best man or woman win." Ichika said back.

"3, 2, 1, Go!" Yamada yelled into the microphone.

The dance began. Ichika charges at Rin with his sword and is swiftly countered by one of her own swords. Ichika dived back to avoid getting hit by another sword that she had pulled out. Ichika now on the back foot is trying to deflect each hit off his sword. With his energy now slowly draining he uses on of his suit specialties Ignition Boost. He dives around and almost scores a hit on her back, but he is hit by an unseen force blasting him back a few feet before he can recover.

"You almost got me. How did my Ryuhou taste." Rin jested.

"A little too spicy. Though that was awesome." Ichika charged at her again that same as before. She was ready to hit him once again when he just simple vanished.

In the stands Daniel broke into a grin. "This is over now!" he yelled.

Ichika reappeared right in front of Rin and was just about the strike her frame when something crashed through the shield and left a smoking crater. From the smoke a stream of fire came at the two and forced Ichika to steamroll Rin right out of harms way.

"OW!" she said. "That hurt," She looked a Ichika who had received some of the blast and finished, " but thank you for saving me."

"It's not a problem. Man that hurt." He said.

The dust cleared showing a IS, but the pilots face was covered and no nationality markings could be seen.

"Ichika, Rin you two alright?" Houki asked through the IS's intercom system.

"I want you two out of there now!" Chifuyu yelled through her headset. "The teachers will be onsite soon to take care of her."

"Sis, I am going to try to hold it back until they arrive and you can not stop me." Ichika said.

"It?" Rin asked.

"Yeah my scanners are not picking up life signs."

"But IS's are not equipped with those kind of sensors." Houki reminded Ichika.

"Daniel is this your tech in action?" Ichika asked.

"Most likely." Daniel responded. "It's a side effect of the stealth system."

Ichika and Rin started to move around to get a better look at the rogue unit, but it dogged them at every turn. Rin was hit and nearly loss all her shield points so Ichika pressed and attack until she could get away.

"Where is that help you were calling for Sis, it would be helpful if they got here."

"It's Ms Orimura right now and we are having a hard time getting through the shield."

"Well our friend here was able to easily drop in." Daniel retorted.

"Yes from low orbit."

"Ichika look at it." Rin said from her new vantage point. "It's just staring at you, not doing anything."

"It's waiting for him to make the first move." Houki said.

"That backup you asked for do you still want it Ichika?" Daniel asked.

"I would be helpful." Then a shimmer formed floating a few yards behind the automated IS and the Christof appeared with the Blue Tears clutching on to it.

"Ichika remember that game we played?" Daniel asked.

"The one with all the shooting?"

"Yes and where you had that pen knife to the boss."

"Did you fill her in?"

"Just the basics."

"Good."

Behind the two boys was the now smouldering remains of the rouge IS. Cecilia had walked up to it and was poking it with her gun a let a round off for good measure.

"That was fun." Ichika said.

"Yeah same here. What possessed you to use your sword to reflect my shots into it head I mean that was just crazy." Daniel commented.

"At least I did not go into stealth just to avoid getting hit."

"Oh yeah what about when you slapped one of Cecilia bits out of the air."

"That was not my fault it surprised me!"

"You two are both crazy!" Cecilia sighed. "What was the point of surfing on my bits anyways Daniel?"

"I can't fly and it was fun."

"Ok that move was idiotic. I expect it from Ichika, but Cecilia what were you thinking and Daniel don't even get me started on the shitstorm you have started." Chifuyu growled at the trio. "Ms Huang at least had the idea to back away from it, but now we need to charge head first into every single thing."

"Sorry."

"It won't happen again ma'am."

"What kind of shitstorm we talkin' about?" The other three students in the room shifted away from the crazy one.

"I am tempted to call you CO and have him come here."

"Sergeant Cortez?" A spark of fear was heard shocking everyone including Chifuyu.

"Yes that one." No one had ever seen Daniel pray or beg before and it was really disturbing to see.

"So you were able to cloak not only your frame, but a much larger IS frame without a significant power drop. The Christof is better than we expected." Daniel's Commander said to the boy.

"Yes sir."

"And you when against your superior's orders to save a friend."

"Yes sir."

"Good work kid you have made us proud. Your actions are the embodiment of the spirit of our military." The Commander cracked a smile.

"Thank you, sir. Oh and a little inside news on the attack."

"Your playing super spy now?" The Commander quibed.

"Yep, the IS that attacked had an unregistered core."

"That's not good if they have more cores than we know of then we could be in for a hard fight."

"Isn't the ratio of Watcher units to ISs 20 to one."

"Yes and we have about half as many Watchers as they do ISs."

"Well not to be smug or boisterous, but the Christof is at least 2 ISs." Daniel pointed out.

"We'll be in touch Private we have work to do back here, our old friends the Caldorens have started to build a beachhead base in a neighboring system so the fleet is shipping out to fight them off."

"Good luck sir!" Daniel put down his communicator. He had expected the third degree, but just got a slap on the wrist. He collapsed on his bed and fell asleep.


	7. Jellies

Chifuyu sat in her office, her feet kicked up on her desk. "*sigh* In all the time I have been with the IS, never before has it given me this much a headache" She picks a file of her desk marked PFC Parker. She opens it and reads the different information inside it.

"You know if you really want to know anything about me you can just ask."

'Why is he still in my office, Oh yeah...I have to wait until one of his supervisors calls to let him go.' She thought. "Ok kid tell me this why are you here?"

"You being ranked higher than I, you have the authority to order me around."

"BEEP. BEEP." The communicator on the desk rang out. Chifuyu took her feet off the desk and tapped a green button on the device.

"Hello there!" A bubbly voice resounded off the walls of the room. "I'm Irene Fuller, the head scientist working on the Christof project."

'Oh great another Tabane type.' "Hello Ms Fuller I am Chifuyu Orimura Daniel's teacher."

"Oh yes the great Chifuyu, yes, yes we know of you isn't that right Daniel dear."

"I kind of go to school here and are you off your meds Irene?" Daniel asked.

"If it take them the blue jellies go away."

"Daniel?" Chifuyu shoots him a concerned look.

"Doc Herbert!" Daniel yells. Irenes image disappears of the monitor. A small struggle can be heard on the other end followed by a yelp.

A man appears on the screen. "Sorry I thought she already took care of this call."

"Herbert why am I on the ground!" a less than happy voice came over the mic.

"It's Daniel she called him." Irene rushed back onto the screen as Herbert walked away.

"Sorry, It a medical condition I have, an imbalance of chemicals." She started to apologize.

Chifuyu had both her hands covering her face. "It late over here and I would like to get something to eat can you please tell me what you want Daniel for and yes this is a secure line." She nearly growled out.

Irene cleared her throat, "Ok I am sending you the new software update to the Christof." Holographic screens began to open up around Daniel scaring him and causing him to fall over in his chair.

"Sorry." The screens deactivated one by one and slowly Daniel stood up. Suddenly a large one opened up point blank in his face and he slipped and hit the floor once more.

"You did that on purpose." he moaned.

"The jelles told me too. Ta Ta!" She ended the call.

"Daniel I think I just got an insight into the mind of an old friend of mine." Chifuyu mentally shudders. "You may now go back to your dorm or get dinner or whatever you do at this time." In a near whisper, "I need a drink."

Daniel reached his dorm after finishing up a quick meal in the cafeteria. He opened the door to be greeted by Ichika who was playing one of the games Daniel had brought from his homeland.

"What are you play there?" Daniel asked.

"IS Rising. It's very… interesting." Ichika responded.

"Oh that is a hard one."

"I'd say a normal soldier verses IS and winning, it had better be hard."

"What mission are you on?"

"The shadow of the rising sun."

"Good luck." Daniel sat down on his bed and changed into his night clothes. The sounds of gunfire came from the game as Ichika futilely fought off two Revives with just a shotgun. An Revive jumped next to him, but was blown away by an artillery strike that he had just called in.

"Two hundred people to take down four IS. Just wow." Ichika commented as the loading screen cited facts on fighting the IS. "Oh what are you doing this upcoming brake Daniel."

"Nothing, maybe wander around campus, read a new book, or test out my new software."

"I am going to my home and may drop by, a friend of mine, Dan's house, you can come along if you want to."

"Say no more to get out of this female infested nightmare and out into the world is like a dream come true."

"Though remember, this is not the Union and women take the more dominant role."

"Your point being?"

"True, true."

"So what is it like there in the land of cute girls." Dan asks the two. They are playing old games on a system from the late 2000s. The game was a hypothetical war against Russia. It was the second one in that series that told about this war.

"Hell on Earth." Daniel said. Ichika nods in agreement.

"You two are such liars, Ichika, your emails alone tell me you live in paradise." Dan rebukes. "Got any com tickets?"

"No." Ichika responds.

"Behind you!" Daniel laughs as he shoots Dan's character in the head. "Eh? you did not die." Dan runs up to Daniel's character and knife him.

"But you're dead." As Dan rounds a corner Ichika lets of a shot and kills Dan.

"And so are you."

"Allah o akbar!" Daniel jokingly yells blowing up the just spawned in Dan. The three break into laughter. Then the door gets kicked in and a not so very happy girl is on the other side.

"Will you keep it down in here if you are going to play online use your headset." She examines the room noticing that there are two other people in the room and one of them happened to be a person she had a crush on.

"Oh hey Ran what's up? How have you been?" Ran looks down at how she is dressed and quickly hides behind the wall next to the door to fix how she looks.

"Oh yeah bro that food you wanted is ready. Now I know why you wanted so much to eat."

"Next time could you knock now poor Ichika thinks you're rude or something." Dan receives a death glare from his little sister.

"Ah angry sisters something I never had…" Daniel sarcastically sighs causing the other two boys to laugh some more and provoke a blush in Ran.

"Lucky." The other two boys said.

"Ran we will be down in a few minutes to eat the food, ok?"

True to their word the three boys now were in the eatery section of the Gotanda house eating away at the meal Dan and Ran's grandfather finished making just a bit ago.

"They do not have anything like this back in the Union." Daniel says as he eats his way through a plate of food.

"Rin's family also had a restaurant here, but it closed down a few years ago."

"Hey how is Rin you said she is at the IS Academy as well."

"She seems well. I would be a bit lonely if she was not their." Ichika sighs.

"Hey you guys need anything else?" Ran asks as she walks into the room.

"No." The three say.

"Hey you changed your clothes." Ichika points out.

"Oh you noticed." She let off an awkward laugh.

"I looks nice are you going on a date?" He asks.

"I am not dating anyone." She nearly roars. She stomps off out of the room.

"What with her." Ichika asks.

"Is he always like this." Dan asks Daniel.

"No normally he is worst."

"Ok boys, I got a favor to ask from you." Ms Yamada asked as she checked on the boys in their room. The two boys were playing a game and Houki had stopped by earlier to watch them. Daniel sat on the floor in front of his bed and Houki was snuggled up to Ichika as the lay facing the TV on the desks opposite the beds.

"What do you need?" Ichika asked. He shifts and sits up and gives the controller to Houki.

"It about this room, would you be able to house one more person?"

"Found another male IS pilot." Daniel asks while keeping all focus on the game which Houki was now dominating him in.

"Er yes… How did you know?"

"Oh I understand," Houki says, "You would not put a girl in this room. Right Daniel?"

"Sure let's go with that answer."

"Well will you?" Ms Yamada gave off a pleading look.

"I don't care." Daniel said.

"The more the merrier!" Ichika agreed.

"I get out my cot out." Daniel tossed his controller to Ichika who continued the game.

"Thank you! Thank you, just imagine a boy and a girl sharing a room how awkward that would be." Ms Yamada smiled as she walked out of the room. "Hello Miss Alcott." Cecilia entered right after and sat down on top of Daniel's bed.

"So what was that?" she asked.

"You'll find out in the morning." Daniel answered.

"Ok class I would like you to welcome our new student." Ms Yamada announced.

The new student stepped in, he was a slender and kind looking man.

"Hello my new classmates I am Charles Dunois." He said in a French accent.

'The translator seems to be doing accents as well, I never noticed that before.' Daniel thought. 'Oh yeah that was in the patch notes for the update, explains why everyone had sounded so strange lately.'

The girls in the class where in what the two boys thought as awe at the boy. Granted he was light on the eyes, but the two saw nothing special with him. Ichika and Daniel exchanged looks of amazement. This one said to the two on simple word 'girls'.

Then the class tensed up and Daniel saw that Ms Orimura had walked in and was whispering to Ms Yamada.

"Ok class," A stoic Orimura started, "We're going to the field for joint practical training with class two. Orimura, Parker you two know your way around here show Dunois to your changing room. I want all you out on the field before I get there. Boys go!"

Ichika grabbed Charles while Daniel lead the way out. "Ok Charles we need to make this fast." Ichika said with urgency.

"My I ask why?" Charles asked. A crowd had formed behind the as they walked.

"It's the boys." a girl yelled.

"There's the new one."

"Daniel is here too you never see him about."

"If you two do not mind." Daniel asked.

"What? What are you going to do?"

"This." He teleported them near the lockers leaving the girls dumb founded.

"Awww. Daniel's too good of a magician."

"No you idiot it his suit, it's just so awesome."

"It ok Charles. We understand you never changed in front of other people before. Daniel and I will turn around." Ichika tried to console the other boy.

"Sorry Charles, I've been doing this since I was five so I thought your request was strange."

The two boys had quickly changed into their personalized training ware which was more for sports less than piloting an IS. Charles shocked that they had basically worn their exercise clothes under their uniforms was slowed in changing his.

"Are you done." Ichika turned his head to see a fully IS suit clothed Charles.

"Good let's go before we need an exorcist on you sister." Daniel said to them.

"She not that bad."

"She is worst than Sergeant Cortez." Daniel shivered as he mentioned the name.

"Cortez?" Charles asked.

"Charles do ask him he will curl up in a ball a cry it's terrifying."

"You three took your time!" Chifuyu growled causing Charles to hid behind the other two boys.

"With all do respect," Daniel started. Ichika placed his hand over Daniels mouth to shut him up.

"Do you want to be castrated?" Ichika whispered.

"I have diplomatic immunity." Daniel said triumphantly.

"*sigh* Get in line you three I have not time for this." Chifuyu face-palmed. "Ok Alcott, Huang since you have your own machines I am sure you'll volunteer."

"Yes ma'am" The two begrudgingly walked up to the front.

Daniel whispered to the girl next to him, "What's going on?"

"A practice IS battle." she responded.

The two girls were suddenly energized to fight after a inaudible comment from Ms Orimura.

"It seem we must fight."

"Ya it was going to happen eventually."

"Oh you two will not be fighting each other." Chifuyu snickered.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhh!" a scream could be heard coming from the sky. As it came into view it was a green IS, one used by the teachers. A Maya Yamada piloting it. She was yelling for people to watch out. Though like a deer in the headlights Ichika looked up in shock as it came barreling down in his direction. It hit him head one as a plume of dust went into the air.

"Owww." Ms Yamada cried. She for some reason could not move like a heavy force was on her. Ichika was no where to be seen. A glow appeared as Ichika's IS deactivated and he flopped onto her chest.

"Um Ichika?" Ichika coming to his senses gropes around trying to figure out where he is. His mind reboots when he grasps at something soft yet oddly firm. Realizing where he is he jumps up to almost get hit by a shot from one of the two girls that were preparing to fight. Ms Yamada jumped up a took the hit for him having the IS's shield take the damage.

"Are you ok Ichika?"

"Yes." A still stunned Ichika answered

"*sigh* Maya do you know how much it costs to fill these kind of holes?"

"Yes, I help out filing these reports ma'am."

"Oh yeah girls she use to be the Representative Candidate for Japan."

* * *

_Up next a battle for Earth (not really)_

_The EDP is engaged in an Interstellar war if you have not picked up on that. What happens up there will change what happens on Earth_


End file.
